Academy Urges Adoption Of Engineering Blueprints To Safeguard Nigeria’s Future

Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) has called on the federal government to adopt and implement its proposed engineering blueprints, emphasising that the measures are vital to safeguarding Nigeria’s public health, strengthening infrastructure, and securing the country’s economic future.

At a press conference at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to herald the apex events for the 2025/26 academic year, which will come up today and tomorrow, the president of the Academy, Prof. Rahamon Bello, explained that over the past years, the body had been active in fulfilling its mandate as a think tank for the engineering sector.

He said the Academy had organised strategic policy dialogues on engineering solutions for energy, refinery operations, transportation, wastewater management, environmental stability, and climate change.

Building on this, Bello highlighted several specific interventions undertaken in recent months.

In his Dwelling on the Alau Dam Flooding Disaster Report, he said the Academy conducted a comprehensive technical study of the catastrophic failure of the dam in Borno State in 2024.

The study identified root causes of engineering and structural failures, and submitted recommendations to both the Borno State government and relevant federal agencies.

These included a rigorous framework to rebuild, implement modern early‑warning systems, and prevent future climate‑induced engineering disasters at the Alau Dam and other dams nationwide,” he said.

Dwelling on electricity supply and financial reforms, Prof. Bello recalled that in April 2026, the Academy convened a special forum on electricity supply, during which the forum reviewed the significant supply-demand imbalance and developed a policy paper.

He stressed that the chronic liquidity squeeze in the power sector demands aggressive financial engineering.

The Academy commended the federal government’s bold initiative and strongly endorsed the Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Program. Specifically, the Academy advocated for the immediate issuance of specialised bonds to liquidate gas supply debts and unlock steady power for homes, businesses, and industries.

It also urged the swift implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative to upgrade the national grid’s capacity to 25,000 MW, while aggressively pursuing solar, hydro, and other green energy schemes.

On national wastewater management, Bello pointed to a lecture hosted in May 2026 titled “Wastewater Management: Impact on Health and Environment,” saying the lecture revealed that less than 20 per cent of urban wastewater in Nigeria is properly managed.

He emphasised that engineering solutions for wastewater and sewage management are not a luxury reserved for wealthy nations but a fundamental requirement of a just and healthy society.

Bello concluded that the Academy is committed to championing this cause and placing it firmly within Nigeria’s national engineering and development agenda.